16:2 Natural History in the English Counties, 



near the Commandery, Worcester. Foxglore (Digitalis purpurea), with white flowers, on the 

 north hill at Malvern ; an old inhabitant informed me that this white variety was many years ago 

 almost as common on the hills as the purple one, but curious visitors having repeatedly rooted it 

 up year after year wherever it appeared, it is now quite rare to find a white-flowered plant. 

 Small-flowered cranesbill (GerJinium pusillum), with white flowers, Henwick hill, on sandy 

 ground. Musk mallow (A/alva moschata), with white flowers, as a weed in a garden on Henwick 

 Hill ; a straggler from the wild ones with pink flowers, growing by the road-side. Milkwort {Po- 

 l^gala vulg&ris), with white flowers, on limestone, to the north of Malvern. Wood vetch (nda 

 sylv&tica), with flowers entirely cream-coloured, on limestone, in the middle of the Lime-kiln 

 Woods, near Wellington, Shropshire ; some other plants, not far off, had their flowers of the usual 

 variegationof blue.'white, and grey. Musk Thistle (Carduusniitans), with white flowers, on Mal- 

 vern Hills. Pyramidal orchis (0. pyramid^lis), with white flowers,'on transition limestone, at the 

 north-west base of the Malvern Hills. I am, Sir,' &c. —Edwin Lees. Hunter's Hall, near Little 

 Malvern, Sept. 17. 1829. 



Warwickshire. 



Weaver's Museum in Birmingham. — Richard Weaver, a working shoe- 

 maker, being in bad health, was advised to walk frequently into the coun- 

 try, and on these occasions amused himself with collecting various species 

 of insects and especially the Lepidoptera, in their different stages. By 

 making up small cases of butterflies for sale, he obtained a sufficient sum 

 to purchase a cabinet, and is at length become possessed of one of the 

 most complete collections out of the metropolis. At the suggestion of 

 some friends, he is endeavouring to establish, a museum here *, which at 

 present he wishes to confine to the natural history of the British islands. 

 He has a few British birds, but his means of obtaining a greater variety of 

 specimens are extremely limited. Weaver has some subscribers of 1/. 1*. 

 per annum, but still too few to defray the expenses of obtaining a larger 

 collection ; and, to aid his funds for this purpose, he will gladly make up 

 small cases of British insects to order, either for sale, or in exchange for 

 birds and other objects of natural history. 



The character of Richard Weaver will be highly interesting to any of 

 your readers, lovers of natural history, from the ardour he exhibits in the 

 pursuit of his objects, apart from the consideration of pecuniary profit, be- 

 yond the most moderate maintenance of himself and his wife. He evinces 

 great gratitude for any assistance afforded him either by instruction, speci- 

 mens, or donations. It should be added, that Weaver has learned to set 

 his butterflies with skill and effect. — C. Birmingham, Nov. 17. 1829. 



Rarer Plants found in Warwickshire. — Sir, In making out, according to 

 my promise, a list of the rarer plants of Warwickshire, the chief difficulty I 

 have met with is that of selection ; I mean, of determining, in many cases, 

 what plants are of sufficient rarity to justify their insertion in the sort of 

 list intended. And here I cannot help remarking, that in several instances 

 the lists of rare plants and insects, furnished by some of your correspondents, 

 from various parts of the country, consist principally of articles which have 

 no pretensions to be so distinguished ; and the publication of such lists in 

 your Magazine, has accordingly drawn forth some severe, yet just, remarks 

 from others, under the head of Retrospective Criticism. From the very 

 nature of the case much difference of opinion, I am aware, must unavoidably 

 exist on the subject. The occurrence of a plant in any particular district 

 depends much on the nature of the soil, the presence or absence of a suit- 

 able habitat, or place of growth, of wood, mountain, heath, bog, water, 

 waste ground, &c., and a variety of other circumstances. Some plants, too, 

 though distributed very generally over a wide extent of country, are scarcely 

 any where found in much abundance ; while others are extremely local, yet 

 where they do occur, sometimes occur in great profusion. As an instance 

 of the former kind may be mentioned iSamolus Valerandi, and, of the latter, 

 irithospermum purpureo-caeruleum, a plant which I never happened to have 

 met with except in the neighbourhood of Chedder in Somersetshire, where 

 the woods abounded with it to a great extent. The common Foxglove 



* No. 38. New Street, Bu-mingham. 



